Republican Anna Ferguson will serve as the District 119 representative after the passing of late state Rep. Mike Clampitt.
Clampitt died in March after a battle with myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare and serious form of blood and bone marrow cancer. He served four terms representing District 119, which includes Swain, Jackson and Transylvania counties.
Local Republican Party officials in Swain, Jackson and Transylvania counties voted April 11 to recommend Ferguson to fill the vacant seat, according to the Smoky Mountain News. Under state law, when a vacancy occurs in the General Assembly, the governor appoints someone the local political party recommended to serve the remainder of the term. The governor must make the appointment within seven days of receiving the recommendation.
Ferguson is a Western North Carolina businesswoman and a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who was raised in the Qualla Community. She is the first enrolled member of the tribe to serve in the North Carolina House.
“We are proud to see her step forward to represent Western North Carolina, as we remember Representative Clampitt’s service and dedication to the people of this region,” EBCI Principal Chief Michell Hicks said in a Facebook post.
Ferguson previously served in tribal government, including the governing board of audit and ethics, and the planning board. According to her campaign website, Ferguson will focus on balancing the budget, Medicaid funding, and public education.
BPR reached out to Ferguson for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication,
In the March primary, Ferguson ran against Clampitt. She received 37.59% of the total ballots cast, according to the state board of elections. She’s now the Republican nominee for the District 119 race in November against Democrat Mark Burrows.
